Velociradar vs. Labradar LX vs. Garmin Xero

[TxLite]

I don't get how the buttons are in the wrong place. If the unit is sitting in front of you the buttons are literally in the easiest spot to use them.

He is also complaining about the screen being in a high visibility black and white for outdoor use. He’s just complaining to complain. Don’t try and reason with him. Let him get his Caldwell and realize it’s garbage, just like Caldwell’s other chronographs.

 

[Molon Labe]

Obviously the reason of this thread was to help identify the features, pros and cons of each without being able to make a side by side comparison of all three. I am not the only one that wanted to see what would shake out of the Shotshow. I did not see all of this “hate” about the Labradar until Labradar announced the LX model at the shotshow. The fact is, it is only a handful of individuals who post the same thing on the other shooting forums as well. Truth be told, I have been using Garmin hand held devices since the start of the company. Some of those devices were very expensive and died soon after the warranty expired. But I do see the same “clunky” UI, the buttons in the wrong place in relationship to the screen, and the usual “cheap” black and white screen that may be harder to see on the Garmin chrono.

I don’t really “need” another chrono at this point. My CE DLX chrono works very well and I am perfectly happy with the phone app and being able to export the data for load work up. However, I would like to have a chrono that calculates BC. All too often the BC on the bullet box is different than the database and may differ in the bullet libraries for different ballistic apps as well. Quite a few long range competitive shooters don’t seem to give a rat’s patootie about muzzle velocity or BC. They just take dope and true up the solvers at range. But as a hunter who takes the majority of shots between 200-600 yards and doesn’t use frag bullets; I do care about BC and sectional density.

So much to address here.

First off BC does not matter under 600yds you can just use the box and be within a tenth of a mil. So your entire premise is to be thrown out the window haha. At 600yds you can probably change your g7 by 20pts and still have same come ups.

Second…top tier competitive shooters ONLY care about velocity and BC plus a good zero. It’s just math. You are probably referring to PRS or ELR since they shoot different ranges.

Third…”truing” up dope by changing velocity or BC in your solver is asking for problems. When competent shooters true up dope they are tweaking BC only and usually only within 5-15pts…and I personally only change BC verifying dope 800-1300yds.

The xero is fantastic. It’s available on the shelf. It doesn’t miss a shot and I can mount it on my arca rail while shooting troop lines out past 1000yds. See a bullet slip a tenth or two low…quick check the garmin velocity was off by 20-25fps…no need to add any come up. It’s absolutely a game changer!

 

[Gila]

From a data modeling perspective; I can understand the advantage of taking multiple samples out to 100 yards to calculate BC. I think all four radar chrono models will do well in the marketplace because each one of those units address the individual needs and wants of the shooter. The pros and cons of each taken into consideration. For now my ProChrono DLX certainly does the job, just need a little time to set-up. But I feel that I shoot too much at 600 yards to calculate dope so looking for a better solution.

 

[sneaky]

Looks like Garmin is considered a “Game Changer”. But they have won nothing…if anything Garmin has opened the market to competition, which is a good thing. What shooters seem to like about the Garmin is the small size, ease of setup, and portability more than the functional features. Most seem to like the way the Garmin works. I won’t buy the Garmin for three reasons: 1) buttons in the worg place, 2) black and white screen, 3) no forward looking RADAR. I am not going to spend $600 on a Chronograph that doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles.

The Labradar LX seems to have all of the features that the Garmin has but it does have forward looking RADAR capability. The case is slightly larger, not by much, which functions as an antenna for better receiver gain. The unit can look forward out to about 30 yards (I heard) which is good enough to calculate and display the Power Factor. Competitive shooters (like IPSC) will like this feature. The ergonomics (including the screen) seem to be an improvement over the Garmin. The projected price is the same as the Garmin chrono and the standard Labradar.

The Caldwell Velociradar seems to have the ergonomics that I like plus it has a color screen. The case (antenna) isn’t as large as the Labradar standard v1 unit, but not as small as the Labradar LX. The Velociradar does look forward and takes multiple samples out to about 100 yards. This is enough to accurately calculate the BC which is displayed. The Tripod has a ball head and appears to be very stable. The unit has an internal rechargeable Lithium - Ion battery. The projected price is less than the Garmin or the Labradar (LX and Standard).

The Labradar LX can be pre-ordered on their website for a delivery of March - April when it will be shipped to their dealers. The Caldwell Velociradar will be shipped to retailers April - May.

Well, at least you're consistent. You love second-rate products, 6.8 Western and a Labradar LX should be a great match. I think you're a troll. You are repeatedly given convincing facts and firsthand accounts of why the Garmin is better than the other chronographs you're looking at, and you refuse to accept that your preconceived notions may be wrong. Do you just love to argue? Buy what you want, but stop discounting real world knowledge and experience because it doesn't validate YOUR hypothesis.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[wyosam]

I would have never guessed that there would be this much anger over chronographs. If the ones being discussed cause this much rage, I’d hate to see the response to what was available 10 years ago.


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[Gila]

Well, at least you're consistent. You love second-rate products, 6.8 Western and a Labradar LX should be a great match. I think you're a troll. You are repeatedly given convincing facts and firsthand accounts of why the Garmin is better than the other chronographs you're looking at, and you refuse to accept that your preconceived notions may be wrong. Do you just love to argue? Buy what you want, but stop discounting real world knowledge and experience because it doesn't validate YOUR hypothesis.

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I like this forum because although it is large in size and growing; there are very few trouble makers and downright Nasty Posters. But there are always a few no matter where you go that try to make their light shine brighter by blowing out another’s. It seldom works out for them though…..

Fortunately there is an IGNORE feature. I typically just laugh these people off and move on. However with the particularly nasty nature of this post, I will make a point and say ”poof” sneakster! You are no longer in my world!

 

[Sarcazmo]

Glad I found this thread.

I am strictly in archer that was very interested in the lab radar specifically for the down range velocities. I have found it extremely useful when creating sight tapes and also for the nerd factor of seeing how different broadheads and arrow veins affect velocity.

I was all set on buying one of the first generation lab radars because they’re at a decent price point now, but if the velocity radar can do the same thing perhaps it would be better to wait. I sent the company an email asking them to verify if it would track an arrow at different Distances. If it does, it might be worth waiting a little while longer.

 

[Fujicon]

Glad I found this thread.

I am strictly in archer that was very interested in the lab radar specifically for the down range velocities. I have found it extremely useful when creating sight tapes and also for the nerd factor of seeing how different broadheads and arrow veins affect velocity.

I was all set on buying one of the first generation lab radars because they’re at a decent price point now, but if the velocity radar can do the same thing perhaps it would be better to wait. I sent the company an email asking them to verify if it would track an arrow at different Distances. If it does, it might be worth waiting a little while longer.

Sounds like you'll be receiving confirmation from Caldwell anyway, but yes, the Velociradar using chirp radar will track arrows same as it can track bullets.

 

[Sarcazmo]

Sounds like you'll be receiving confirmation from Caldwell anyway, but yes, the Velociradar using chirp radar will track arrows same as it can track bullets.

Does anyone know if it will show downrange speeds as well?

I watched a bunch of videos from the shot show. Based on what they said it sounds like the chirp constantly calculates speed and distance so I’m assuming yes

 

[Dos Perros]

Garmin outsources everything around the World. Labradar does everything in house in Canada.

Labradar is making their own chips?

 

[5811]

 

[Fujicon]

View attachment 689167

Ha! Yeah, brand fandom is definitely a thing, at least until your brand goes titsup (looking at you Remington).

When you think about it logically, being a brand fanboy is illogical. Look at it this way: when you choose a product based on brand loyalty, the consequence is you've shut down your critical ability to analyze comparative features and pros/cons between products. In short, reasoning gets replaced by emotion. Believe it or not, neuroscientists have actually studied brain pathways and proven this as fact. And if we have a positive experience with our favorite brand, then the emotional decision just gets reinforced. So yeah, brand fandom is a thing, but probably not a good thing in the long run.

 

[Article 4]

Because they are the victor right now. That could all change, who knows. But neither LR nor Caldwell currently have a product out that competes.


I don’t see the value of down range velocity — or at least not as a significant advantage. You’re still going to have to true your system out to long range, at which point you’ll have your velocity at all distances anyway.

I like them both - there are a few comparisons on them and as much as I like the science and idea of them both, i gotta go hands on before I spend the 600 bucks

lab radar lx - Google Search

 

[Bluefish]

So much to address here.

First off BC does not matter under 600yds you can just use the box and be within a tenth of a mil. So your entire premise is to be thrown out the window haha. At 600yds you can probably change your g7 by 20pts and still have same come ups.

!

I disagree. BC matters all the time. Maybe for guys using well known BC‘s on know bullets, you can use the mfg data. I have had a different experience. Hammer for one had BC’s way off. As much as .1 too high. I have also had several bullets that were an unknown BC, so being able to calculate it is quite useful.
where I use BC for short range is figuring out where the limit is for velocity on bullet performance. Not a big deal for long range bullets, but for medium to large caliber hunting bullets, it’s a bigger deal. If I am starting at 2300-2400 fps with a bullet that needs 2000 fps to work, a low bc might mean that I am below that in under 200 yards. I never gave it much thought until I used a LabRadar and noticed that I was losing 300+ fps in less than 100 yards. Had one bullet that was a .15 g1. It’s probably ok under 100 yards, but even with a 1400fps minimum velocity it’s hard to keep it above that past 150-200 yards.

 

[Gila]

What I have seen is that bullet vendors typically measure their bullets’ BC out at 100 meters with 10 samples at different intervals. Doppler RADAR is used to do the BC measurement. CHIRP RADAR uses the Doppler Effect. I can see the advantage of taking CHIRP interval samples for a BC measurement.

I think that folks who compete using a Power Factor may like the LabRadar LX model since it looks ahead far enough to calculate the PF. The LX may be delayed until around the first part of June. LabRadar does give Military and First Responder discounts.

Midway will carry the VelociRadar. You can get on their notification list when it ships. I haven’t looked into if Caldwell gives Military and FR discounts.

A good BC explanation here: https://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/products/ballistic-coefficient-calculation/

 

[atmat]

Looks like the LX is delayed until around th e first part of June.

It was never going to deliver on time. They rushed out a prototype to compete with Garmin, who stole a bunch of their sales.

 

[Gila]

Labradar is making their own chips?

Infinition, Inc is the brain child behind the LabRadar. Most likely they do design their own embedded systems. The actual “hardware” is probably manufactured in places like Taiwan.

 

[Grundy53]

What I have seen is that bullet vendors typically measure their bullets’ BC out at 100 meters with 10 samples at different intervals. Doppler RADAR is used to do the BC measurement. CHIRP RADAR uses the Doppler Effect. I can see the advantage of taking CHIRP interval samples for a BC measurement.

I think that folks who compete using a Power Factor may like the LabRadar LX model since it looks ahead far enough to calculate the PF. The LX may be delayed until around the first part of June. LabRadar does give Military and First Responder discounts.

Midway will carry the VelociRadar. You can get on their notification list when it ships. I haven’t looked into if Caldwell gives Military and FR discounts.

A good BC explanation here: https://www.sellier-bellot.cz/en/products/ballistic-coefficient-calculation/

Once again. The garmin tells you your power factor.

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[pattimusprime22]

Isn't power factor just speed x bullet weight? Why does the device need to do that for you?

 

[Sarcazmo]

Spoke with Caldwell.

Apparently it will not display down range speeds.

Looks like Lab radar for me :/